How the SNB's implementation of monetary policy has changed with the level of the policy rate
Summary
This note describes how the Swiss National Bank has adapted its monetary policy implementation in the money market since 2015, across periods of negative, positive and zero policy rates. All three periods have been characterised by an environment with abundant sight deposits, i.e. banks have held considerably more sight deposits at the SNB than they need to settle payments or meet reserve requirements. In this context, remunerating sight deposits at the SNB policy rate has enabled the effective steering of money market interest rates, while applying different rates of interest to different portions of sight deposits - known as tiered remuneration - has supported money market activity.
- Issue:
- 09
- Pages:
- 7
- Keywords:
- SNB, Monetary policy implementation, Interest rate steering, Money market activity, Tiered remuneration
- Year:
- 2025